


Little Crow

by nocxiv



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Brotherhood, Forgive me I wrote this in one sitting, Friendship, Friendship is Magic, Gen, I blame angst, What Have I Done, it just became a train wreck at the end, omg guys this is a bit OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-30
Updated: 2014-08-30
Packaged: 2018-02-15 09:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2223573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nocxiv/pseuds/nocxiv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He will fly again. This time, with braver wings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Crow

**I**

_You stand with a sneer._   
_But little crow, did you cry_   
_when you lost your sun?_

-::-

 

Shouyou stirred in his bed—sheets tangled and warm—when he heard her laugh. Who she was, he forgot. They met up the night before, and decided to make love. If that was even the right term for it. After all, love had never been present as they writhed in euphoria until they got spent. She was standing in front of his open closet, ivory skin glowing beneath the dim light. Her straight, dark hair covered her shoulder blades which gracefully flexed whenever she moved. Shouyou’s fingertips tingled. He could still feel her smoothness from earlier. The softness of her skin. The warmth of her breath. The distinct drawl of her voice. She was pretty. The girl was. With a pair of intelligent eyes and a perfect array of pearly white teeth. They shifted positions pretty easily, balancing their weight against each other and yet—Shouyou knew they didn’t _fit_.

Pretty girl, with a pair of intelligent eyes. And yet, going to bed with him was one hell of an unwise decision.

“You found something amusing?” he groggily asked.

“I actually did,” she answered, pulling out a hanger. Shouyou scoffed, upon realizing it was his senior uniform that dangled there. “The second button’s missing. Can’t believe you did something as corny as this. You gave it to someone?”

Shouyou sat up straight, and raked his right hand through his disheveled, fiery hair. “And if I did?”

She faced him, eyes carrying that amused glimmer. “That’s adorable.”

“Wished it was you, instead?”

The young woman chuckled. “Don’t flatter yourself, Hinata. I just can’t believe someone like you would give a button to someone you fancied.”

“I still fancy that person now, though.”

“But you just had sex with me.”

“It’s quite easy to replace your face.”

She froze for a second, and then, she flashed him a composed smile. “That stung a little.”

“Oh, did it?” he gave her an apologetic grin. “I’m sorry.”

“I’ll take a bath first, then leave.”

“As you wish.”

And that was that. The young woman placed the uniform back to its place, and as the water steadily poured in the bathroom, Shouyou’s gaze stayed fixed on his closet, wondering if the button was doing fine.

If his so-called first love was doing fine.

Not that it would matter, if someone like him cared.

With that in his mind, he fell asleep again.

 

-::-

 

“I heard it was from that prestigious university this time,” Kenma remarked, as he dried the ceramic mugs with ease. He did it swiftly and quietly, all the while maintaining a certain grace. Like a cat.

“The rumors spread fast.”

“Faster than your freak quicks,” Kenma remarked, causing Shouyou to laugh. When he quieted down, he continued, “You’ve changed.”

“We all have,” he returned. “Where’d you get the news this time?”

“Tetsurou.”

“Oh, he overheard?”

“Most probably. While working.”

Shouyou smirked, but didn’t reply anymore. Kenma was the one who introduced him to his part-time job: a barista in Sunflower Café. It was the perfect deal, after all. The shop needed another worker; Kenma had to keep a close eye on Shouyou (a favor asked by Koushi and Daichi); Shouyou needed a job—or rather, a distraction. University was not enough to fill the days which seemed to pass by slowly, all because he decided to quit on volleyball.

Shouyou was competent enough to learn the basics and charm his way through. Kenma stayed silent, observing his friend, hoping things would change for the better. He missed the easily-flustered Shouyou, who thought of nothing but volleyball. He missed the Shouyou who shone like the sun. The Shouyou who smiled so carelessly, his warmth would engulf the whole room with ease.

Everyone who knew Shouyou did.

“You’re doing those things to somebody else’s future wife,” Kenma said.

“We both wanted it.”

“That’s not the case here, Hinata. What you’re doing now will never satisfy you. Imagine if someone did the same to Natsu. As an older brother, how would that affect you?”

Shouyou paused, and he tilted his head to look at Kenma in the eye. “Though you’re older than me, what do you know, _senpai_?”

That certain coldness flickered in Shouyou’s eyes. A foreboding ambience crept up Kenma’s spine—a feeling so heavy and thick, he could only look away to save himself from freezing over.

A quiet smile graced his senior’s lips. “You can be quite scary at times, Hinata.”

“What are you talking about?” there was a sudden shift in Shouyou’s voice. It was back to being amicable. Kenma glanced at him, already counting the freshly-baked pastries displayed inside the glass case. His happy-go-lucky smile was present, but it barely reached his eyes. “I’m always scolded for being an airhead. There’s no way I’d be scary.”

A distinct silence ensued, and Kenma broke it by muttering, “Hm.”

 

 

**II**

 

_Bind yourself on land._   
_Swear to never fly again._   
_Is that what you want?_

-::-

 

The incessant ringing of his phone caused Shouyou’s consciousness to kick in. He groaned, before swiping his thumb across the screen. He didn’t bother checking on who the caller was.

“Shou-nii?”

Shouyou placed his free hand on his forehead. His eyes were still closed. “Natsu, what is it?”

“Are you coming over? For Golden Week.”

“No,” he sighed. “Your older brother’s busy this time, too.”

A pause, followed by a dejected, “Okay.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No,” Natsu curtly replied. “It’s okay. Take care.”

“Tell mom I said hi.”

“Hm. I joined the volleyball club, by the way.”

“Good for you.”

“I said that the last time I called.”

A pause. “Oh, I forgot about it.”

“You always do.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Bye.”

 _Beep_.

Shouyou checked the time. It was five in the afternoon. He clearly overslept, after procrastinating through his coursework without requesting for a break in his shifts. He grunted, pushed himself to get out of bed, and blankly stared at the floor. He somehow kept track of the days through Natsu’s phone calls.

_Are you going to spend the summer here?_

_How about Christmas and New Year?_

_My birthday falls on the weekend. Will you be able to visit?_

She was persistent with her invitations, and he was consistent to refuse. Perhaps, it was because of the guilt that gnawed at him. Shouyou stared at his hands, and wondered if it was appropriate to even embrace his younger sister despite the things he did. If it was still all right to act like a normal university student in his hometown, when he knew he slept around with women, and left some with shattered hearts without even batting an eye.

Kenma got him good with the question he asked before.

But he knew that was not the only reason.

A certain face flashed in his mind. A brief spark; a burst of color and warmth. And then, it was gone. Just like that.

There was no way he could go back.

Not a chance.

 

-::-

 

“Are you not returning to Miyagi?” Kenma asked, when he saw Shouyou in the dressing room, slipping into his black apron. “It’s Golden Week, for crying out loud.”

“I still have things to do,” Shouyou replied.

“You also didn’t return last year,” the other pointed out. “Ever since you moved here, you never returned _once_. Does Tokyo entice you that much?”

Shouyou merely smiled. “I already told Natsu. It’ll be fine.”

“You can’t run away forever, Hinata,” Kenma opened his locker, took his apron, and tied it around his slender waist. “If that’s what you’re aiming for.”

“But there’s no way I’d come prancing back in there, as if nothing happened.”

“So you’re acknowledging it now, that you’re running away?”

Shouyou closed his locker with brute force. The noise it made echoed within the tiny room. Through gritted teeth, he choked out, “It’s my fault Tobio can’t play anymore.”

“Do you really think so?” Kenma finally asked, eyes downcast. He tied his hair—still blonde with messy streaks of black—into a ponytail. “Did you even ask them?”

“It’s obvious. There’s no use in asking.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” he returned. “I’m done changing. I’ll see you outside.”

Shouyou Hinata, at the age of twenty, wondered if it was okay to believe in Kenma’s words.

 

-::-

 

Shouyou found himself entering the sports complex, and what greeted him was the nostalgic, minty scent of Salonpas. Shoes squeaked against the waxed floor, accompanied by shouts and polished balls pounding against flesh. It was his day off, and having nothing better to do, he decided to watch his university’s game against a neighboring school. It was Kenma who subtly dropped the information to him.

“The decoy’s here.”

Shouyou turned around, and his expression loosened up, the moment he saw Tetsurou, wearing a plaid, red shirt and a pair of black jeans and white Chucks. His arms were folded across his chest.

“Must I ask Kenma to do that kind of thing just to get a freaking glimpse of you?”

He smirked. “I’m still alive, as you can see.”

“But dead inside,” Tetsurou deadpanned.

“Maybe.”

“You don’t reply to your teammates’ messages. You screw around with women. You’re not even in Miyagi, despite the longish break. Are you waiting for a train wreck to happen, huh, little crow?”

“So is it your turn?” Shouyou murmured. “Are you giving me a pep talk now, too, Kuroo-san?”

Tetsurou placed his hand on Shouyou’s crown. “Little crow’s not so little anymore, but you used to jump higher.”

“What does that even mean?”

“You gained some height. And added more years to your age. You changed. A lot. But you never really grew up. What happened when you were seventeen, nobody’s blaming you for it. So stop giving yourself a difficult time.”

The whistle sounded. The opposing teams stood on their respective side of the court, bowed down, and after another whistle, the game began. It sent Shouyou’s heart do crazy somersaults against his ribcage. His hands tingled with anticipation as his eager, brown eyes traced the path of the ball. He inhaled, and the sharp air pierced his lungs, spiraling him down, down, down to the past.

He found himself wearing his jersey, already damp because of his sweat. He was there, standing on his usual spot, hearing the usual cries from his teammates.

“Asahi, cover!”

“Nice one!”

“Noya, good save!”

He looked to his side, and his eyes widened. Tobio was there, in the flesh. Eyes fixed on the ball in the air, both arms outstretched. There was a certain calmness etched on his face. The clamor did not seem to faze his concentration.

Before Shouyou could even stop himself, he yelled, “I’m here! Toss it to me!”

Tobio’s eyes quickly shifted to him, but the spark his stare held was different from the usual. With a smug smirk, Tobio passed the ball to Ryunosuke, instead.

A pressure on his left shoulder dragged him back to reality. He gasped, and looked at the scoreboard. 7-5. His university was leading.

“You can always join,” Tetsurou remarked. “Your university would love to have you. You are the strongest decoy, after all.”

Shouyou slowly shook his head. “It would be unfair, if I enjoy the court, and Tobio doesn’t. I want to play. I freaking want to play. But it’s not the same if it’s not with Tobio. It just isn’t the same.”

Tetsurou nodded in response, and they watched the game in silence. The third set was filled with deuces, which reminded Shouyou of their match against Aobajousai. The only difference was, it was their university that won.

“Where are you hanging out after this?” Tetsurou asked.

“Somewhere.”

“That says a lot.”

Shouyou didn’t reply. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“I’ll be going ahead, then. Guard that hungry beast between your legs, why don’t you?”

The younger one scoffed. “I’ll see you next time.”

Tetsurou turned around, and gave Shouyou a firm pat on the back before walking away.

 

 

**III**

 

_These stones weigh you down;_   
_you fly closer to the ground._   
_Little crow, let go._

-::-

“What are you thinking about?”

Shouyou knew the name of the girl this time. Midori. From the university up north. Studying what again? Drama? Short, black hair with red highlights. Curvaceous. Soft. Shy. Gentle.

He drew imaginary circles against her bare back, smooth as porcelain, with his index finger.

“Hey,” he whispered, his voice a bit hoarse. His lids were getting heavier by the minute. “Have you ever wondered, if a multiverse actually existed?”

“What about that one?”

“Well, if it did exist, then would you be content, knowing somewhere, another you is living a life you aren’t living?”

“Go on,” she urged.

“Like, for instance, the Midori in that world didn’t have casual sex with a student named Shouyou. She’s in a happy relationship, getting good grades and offers from agencies left and right.”

“That’s nice.”

“It is,” Shouyou agreed. “But will you be happy, knowing it’s _that_ Midori who’s having the time of her life, and not you?”

“It’s still me, isn’t it?” she asked. “The Midori in the parallel universe we’re talking about.”

“In a way.”

“Then I’m okay with that. I’ve never been a competitive one, Hinata. But from what I see, you are the complete opposite of me.”

He smirked. “You think?”

“You just give me that impression,” Midori replied. “You do not even have a reason, as to why you have to win. You just _want_ to.”

“You know me better than most girls I’ve screwed around with,” he remarked. “I’ll give you that.”

“I’m not sure, if that is a good thing or not,” she honestly returned. “But how about you, Hinata? Are you happy, living in this dimension?”

He thought for a moment, and with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, he covered the upper half of his face, and said nothing. Because he knew the answer to that, and he didn’t want to hear his own voice say it.

Shouyou wasn’t happy. He wasn’t happy at all. He wished to erase certain sections of his past. He wished to rewrite them, and construct a better story. He wanted to undo the first time he had sex. He wanted to undo the day he ran away, and replace it with him apologizing; with him actually _trying_ to help. He wanted to be a better person—a Shouyou Hinata who could jump higher—who could finally _soar_.

“Midori.”

“Hm?”

“Why did you agree to sleep with me?”

“They say you’re interesting.”

“Huh?”

“Because you treat girls gently. But when they ask something that breaches your personal space, you become intimidating. That’s what I hear.”

“So you actually tried it out?”

“You can put it that way,” she answered.

“And the verdict?” Shouyou pushed.

“You’re really kind,” Midori said. “But lonely.”

“Hey, I feel sleepy now.”

“Me, too.”

“Wanna cuddle?”

Midori chuckled. “Sure.”

 

When Shouyou woke up, Midori was gone.

 

 

**IV**

 

_You yearn for the sky,_   
_not knowing it’s within reach_   
_once you spread your wings._

-::-

 

A phone call softened Shouyou’s heart. He finally yielded, when he heard Natsu on the other end of the line. It was autumn, then, with crimson leaves falling, carpeting the ground. She could barely speak, and Shouyou had to calm her down. Holding back her incoherent sobs, Natsu was finally able to explain the situation: their mother was sent to the hospital.

Shouyou grabbed his duffel bag, and stuffed it with several clothes. He quickly changed into a clean shirt and a pair of jeans before wearing his socks and slipping into his white Chucks. He did a quick onceover around his small flat, making sure everything was turned off and locked, before running to the train station. He had no time to even reserve a seat at that time. He settled to get on a Yamabiko train, and the travel from Tokyo to Sendai would approximately last two hours.

He impatiently shook his left leg while sitting down, his eyes steadily fixed on the blur of sceneries outside. Shouyou’s clenched fists rested on his thighs, his knuckles already paper white. His jaw began to ache, and he realized he had his mouth clamped shut—to the point that his teeth were already rubbing against each other.

He wanted the freaking journey to end.

 

-::-

 

Shouyou didn’t waste any time. The moment the train terminated, he stormed out of the station, and hailed for a cab that would bring him to the hospital where their mother was confined. It was already dusk, and the retreating, amber sunlight caused the shadows to stretch.

He was already in the hospital’s lobby when he checked the ward number Natsu messaged him. He searched for the nearest elevator, and pressed the number ‘3’. Much to his surprise, Natsu was waiting for him outside of their mother’s room. She was wearing his old hoodie, and a pair of denim shorts.

“Natsu,” he called out.

She raised her head, and met him halfway. Her eyes were swollen from crying too much. Shouyou noticed how badly bitten her nails were.

“I’m here,” he was already out of breath, but he was relieved he managed to say that to her.

Without a word, Natsu hugged her older brother tightly. “Does someone have to be sent to the hospital first, before we see you?”

“I’m sorry.”

“You rarely called. You never visited once. Not _once_. We wouldn’t hear anything from you unless we call you first. All you send us are your grades. Mom was really worried, do you know that?”

“I’m sorry.”

“You missed my birthdays, and all I receive from you are lukewarm greetings. You forget what’s happening in my life—” Natsu’s voice cracked. Shouyou felt his shirt grow damp. “Even your friends miss you. Why can’t you just tell us how you’re doing?”

Something got stuck in Shouyou’s throat, sending that prickly feeling travel all the way down to his chest. It felt like he had swallowed a cloudy sky, and his eyes were ready to let the raindrops out. He embraced Natsu back, not caring if the hands that held his precious sister, were the same hands that caressed other women before. Shouyou didn’t care, even if his mind pestered him, reminding him of the things he did. With Midori and those nameless women. He held on to Natsu, until his heart cracked open.

Tears emerged from his eyes.

Rolled freely down his cheeks, leaving a transparent, warm trail.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out, his voice thick. “Natsu, I really am.”

“It’s okay.”

“I’m sorry.”

“We forgive you, Shou-nii, so please…” Natsu raised her head to meet him in the eye. Her face was streaked with tears. “Forgive yourself, too.”

Then and there, Shouyou realized: though he could not undo the things he did in the past, he could be made new.

 

-::-

 

Their mother fainted out of fatigue. She regained consciousness, and was happy enough to see Shouyou standing by Natsu’s side.

“It’s a good thing I was admitted here, then,” their mother joked. “Now I get to see my son. Finally.”

The IV drip had to be consumed before she could be discharged. The doctor also requested for her to stay the night, and after everything was arranged, their mother urged the both of them to go home.

“Shouyou must be tired from the trip,” she said. “Catch up with each other, and then tomorrow, it’ll be my turn, hm?”

 

-::-

 

The siblings decided to walk home, and Natsu paused, when the Foothill Store came into view. She nodded at the place, and asked, “Do you want to eat some meat buns?”

“Will you treat me?” he teased.

The younger one crossed her arms, and pouted. After taking consideration, she nodded. “And then I’ll use it for extortion later on.”

“Where do you even learn those things?”

“Kei-nii taught me,” she straightforwardly answered. “He said if I want to nail you down, I should do something that would make you squirm.”

“Well you have to reconsider that advice,” Shouyou remarked. He focused his gaze on the store, wondering if it was still Keishin who looked after the shop. He wondered, how their former coach would react, if he ever showed himself out of the blue.

“Shou-nii,” Natsu held him by the hand. “Let’s go.”

He let her lead the way. She entered first, and Shouyou followed close behind her. The shop smelled the same: the diluted smell of cigarettes, mixed with detergent and the crisp smell of boxes. “Ukai-san, I’m here to buy some meat buns!”

“Natsu, is that—” Keishin froze, the moment he recognized the other person standing before him. With a can’t-be-helped smile, he beckoned the siblings to come closer. “Good job at dragging a crow back in here, Natsu-chan. What is it that you want again?”

“Meat buns!”

Keishin took four pieces from the steamer, stuffed them in a bag, and handed it out to Natsu. “It’s on the house.”

“But I need to buy these!” she cried. “For extortion.”

“Did that brat Tsukishima teach you that?” Keishin inquired.

Natsu nodded.

“He better be more careful—” he looked at Shouyou, and said, “Trust me on this one: we teach her better things, but Natsu’s sharp at picking up the bad ones.”

He bowed. “Thank you for looking after my sister while I’m gone. I apologize for the inconvenience I’ve caused.”

“What’s with that wishy-washy attitude?” Keishin asked. “It’s worth celebratin’, you returning here. Give the rest a call. I believe they’re here at the moment.”

“You really should,” Natsu pushed. “We all missed you, Shou-nii.”

“Natsu-chan,” Keishin began. “I have carrot cake inside. Why don’t you have some tea first? Gramps will be happy to have you there.”

“Sweet!” she placed the bag of meat buns on the counter, before dashing into Keishin’s home. When she was out of earshot, he nodded at Shouyou.

“How’s your mother? I heard she got hospitalized earlier.”

“She’s all right now, thank you,” the younger one quietly replied. “How…is Tobio?”

“Isn’t the answer obvious?” Keishin asked back in reply. “He’s waiting for you.”

“I hurt him. That’s why…I’m really afraid to return here.”

“Nobody’s blaming you, Hinata.”

“That just isn’t possible,” Shouyou said, in a barely audible whisper. His vision became blurry. He couldn’t meet Keishin’s eyes. “It’s because of my selfishness, that he ended up like that. Because of me, he couldn’t even do the very thing he wants.”

“Have you ever heard Kageyama say he detests you?” Keishin asked.

“No.”

“Have you heard him say he hates you?”

“No.”

“After that day, did you approach him?”

A pause. “No.”

“Then where’d you get that from?”

Shouyou bit his lower lip. “Sensei, if that kind of thing happened to me, I’d hate me, too.”

“See, that’s where you forget one important thing,” Keishin said. “Kageyama is not you.”

 

-::-

 

“Shou-nii?”

“What is it, Natsu?”

“What did you and Ukai-san talk about?”

“Important things. Why do you want to know?”

“Because you cried.”

“Your brother always cries.”

“You stopped crying before, though.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Shou-nii?”

“What is it?”

“Can we cuddle?”

Shouyou froze, utterly remembering his request from Midori.

“Well, can we?” she repeated.

Shouyou stretched his arms beneath his blanket, reached for Natsu’s futon, and pulled it closer to him. With warm giggles, she rolled over until her face was buried against his chest, and proceeded to hug her older brother tightly. “You’re really warm. Like sunshine.”

“Natsu, listen up. Your older brother did a lot of bad things in Tokyo,” Shouyou began. “And he’s afraid to hold you because of that.”

“Why?”

“Because his hands are dirty.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she dismissively said.

“Why doesn’t it matter?” he asked.

“Because you’re here. That’s more important than the things you did in the past.”

“Who taught you that?”

“Tobi-nii.”

“Did he really?”

“Yeah. Whenever I visit him with Hitoka-chan. And he always tells me he misses you. You really should go see him.”

Shouyou’s lips trembled as he planted a kiss on the top of Natsu’s head. He hugged her tighter, and said, “I will. Let’s visit him together.”

“Is that a promise?”

“It’s a promise.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“Good night, Shou-nii.”

“Good night.”

“I love you.”

Shouyou’s heart seemed to melt, the moment he heard those words from Natsu. “I love you, too.”

 

 

**V**

 

 _Dark wings piercing skies,_  
 _slicing winds, you found your sun.  
_ _Little crow, you’ve grown._

-::-

 

Shouyou called the café, requesting for his schedule to be shifted. He explained he was currently in Miyagi to look after his mother for a few more days, just to be on the safe side. He didn’t have to worry about university for the time being, considering he already had his projects submitted, and all they had to do was study independently for their upcoming exams.

Natsu and Shouyou picked their mother up from the hospital and brought her home, where a warm meal was already waiting for her. They ate quietly, but their expressions were at ease. It was far from the lively meals they used to have, but nobody dared point it out. They were satisfied, eating together.

When lunchtime was over, and after the dishes were washed, Natsu grabbed Shouyou by the hand and dragged him into Keishin’s shop, once again. She asked for him to buy several tubs of ice cream.

“Natsu-chan, what’s the rush?” Keishin asked.

“We’re visiting Tobi-nii,” she answered.

“Wait, we are?” Shouyou spluttered, completely taken aback.

“Yeah. You promised, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“Then why are you so surprised?”

“Because…” Shouyou didn’t bother finishing his sentence. He clasped the back of his neck, before reaching for his wallet to pay for the items Natsu placed on the counter.

“I may drop by later, too,” Keishin said. “I’ll see you around!”

The siblings bid their respective farewells, and then they were out the door. Shouyou was barely eighteen when he left for Tokyo. Roughly three years had passed, and yet, nothing changed in his neighborhood.

They finally stopped in front of a two-story house, completely detached and standing out like a sore thumb because of its modernity. Humming, Natsu opened the gate as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Tobi-nii! I dragged a crow in for you!”

Shouyou suppressed a smirk. Keishin was right. Natsu was indeed sharp.

“A crow, you say?” a familiar voice cried back. “Yachi-san, Natsu’s here to play!”

The young man froze, and Natsu had to hold his hand to bring him back to his senses. “Shou-nii,” she said. “It’s going to be all right, you know. Come on.”

“Natsu-chan, what is this crow I’m hearing abo—” Hitoka trailed off, the moment she saw Shouyou, standing behind Natsu. Her hair grew longer—it almost reached her waist. She became slimmer. She looked more like a woman.

“Sho—” before she could even complete his name, Hitoka locked him in a tight embrace. “Thank goodness you’re well.”

He was stiff for a moment, and finally, he eased up. Shouyou returned her gesture. “It’s nice to see you again, Yachi.”

She finally let go, and with watery eyes, she told them to come in. “Kageyama’s in the backyard.”

Shouyou gingerly followed Natsu’s lead, who carried a spring in her steps.

“Tobi-nii!” Natsu called out again.

“I’m over here!” he replied.

Shouyou began to wonder, just when Tobio became so good with children. It didn’t take long for Tobio’s figure to appear. He had his back turned on them, as he stood on the ground: head tilted up, hands wrapped around a ball. Shouyou’s eyes, however, were fixed on his left calf, where a huge, pink scar was wrapped around his leg like a serpent.

That was the very part where he got stabbed by a couple of drunkards, several hours after their graduation day. As if that was not enough, they found a wooden block somewhere, and started smashing Tobio’s legs with it. That resulted to a major operation, and him not being able to play volleyball again, despite the rehabilitation that would take place after his recovery. Shouyou knew the situation wouldn’t have happened, if he didn’t call him out to celebrate. They said Tobio just so happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Shouyou was aware, that kind of thing could be perfectly avoided. He felt responsible.

“Oi,” Tobio said, causing Shouyou to look at the raven-haired boy, who was grinning broadly. “It’s about time you showed yourself, dumbass.”

Silence, followed by, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Shouyou contritely stared at the ground. “For everything.”

“Are you really sorry?”

“Yeah.”

“Then do me a favor. Let me toss to you again.”

Shouyou’s eyes widened. He stared at Tobio with disbelief.

“You heard me,” Tobio said. “I want to toss to you. So you better spike them good.”

“But your injury—”

“We’re not going all-out,” Tobio cut in. “It sucks, but what do you say? I really missed you, stupid.”

“Sweet as ever with the nicknames, I see,” Shouyou returned.

Tobio laughed. “You’re accepting them better than I expected. You’ve grown.”

“Yeah, I think so, too.”

Hitoka pulled Natsu out, asking about the ice creams she brought with her and saying they should stuff it in the freezer first. Shouyou took that opportunity to stand closer to Tobio.

“How’s Tokyo?”

“I messed up on most cases.”

“Messed up?” Tobio repeated.

“I slept around.”

“You always do.”

“With women.”

“That’s old news to me,” Tobio remarked. “Kenma keeps us updated. Though you really should straighten up. We’re all worried about you. And Yachi’s waiting. She still has your button.”

“Does she…know?”

“We never told her, but she’s a woman. She’d sense if something was up.”

A lingering pause. “Do you think she’ll still accept me?”

“Why won’t you ask her?”

Shouyou didn’t reply.

“Knowing Yachi,” Tobio said. “She’s much more concerned with her being your true love, than being your first. Does that put your mind at ease?”

Shouyou pondered on what Tobio had said, and nodded.

Tobio did a quick salute, and compared his height with Shouyou. “Talk about growth spurt. I can’t look down on you anymore.”

“Shut up.”

The raven-haired boy laughed in good humor. “That’s more like it. The rest will arrive soon. Why don’t we start?”

Shouyou’s eyes shone with anticipation. “Bring it on.”

 

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry!


End file.
